Door closer



July 2s, 1925.

1,547,957 J. J. 'REINHoLD DOOR CLOSER Filed May 21. 1925 ATT :l N s w/Patented July 28, V1925.

UNITED STATES JOHN J. REINHQLD, QF'MABIETTA, rENNsYLvANIA.

Doonv oLosEn.

To all whom t 11u11/ 6011061111.' Be it known that l, JOHN J. REINHOLD,a citizen of the United States, residing at Marietta, in the county lofLancaster `and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Door Closers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to door closing devices. The object of thisinvention is to incorporate an adjustable stopping device` which willlimit the closing movement of the door, in a door closing device havingsuch characteristics wherein the door may be easily opened, and whichwill automatically close theV door yat a vmoderate slow speed.

This invention will be more fully under-- stood and other lobjects willbe apparent from the followingA description, taken in connection withthe'accompanying drawing, forming apart hereof, and in which similarnumerals refer to similar parts vthroughout they several views. f

Y Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a door closing device with myadjustable stopping device incorporated.

Fig. 2, is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a sectional view taken on line of Fig. 2. Y

Fig. 4, is a bottom view of the latch carrying bracket 4,0f Figs. 1, 2and 3. V

Fig. 5, is a detail drawing of the segmental rack 5, of Figs. 1, 2, 3and 4; two views being represented.

This invention will be described and shown herein asV appliedspecifically to a door closing device of that type known as the Yalereversible door. closer. It will be obvious that the general principlesare applicable to various other door closing del vices of similarcharacter.

Brielly describing theV pertinent features of the door closer shown 'inthe drawing, it is to be understood that the bowl 6 contains a springwhich normally holds the ratchet 7 at a neutral position, and anyturning of this ratchet in either direction from this neutral positioncanbeaccomplished. only against the action of this spring. The lever 10is carried by the spindle 11 and is locked to the ratchet 7 through thepawl 12; there` fore any movement of the lever 10 in the diirectionindicated by the arrow 14 must nec,- essarily operate against the actionof said spring in the bowl 6. The bowlf is carried by the door 15through the brackets 16 and Appucaaon mea May 21, i923. Serial No.610,501'f screwsV 17. The end 18 of the lever 10 is connected to thedoor frame'19 through the link20, bracket 21 and screws 22.

Now if the door15 isfswung on the hinge 23 in the direction indicated bythe arrow 24, the bowl 6 will move through a path indicated bythe arc25. The link 2O will. prevent the lever end 18 from moving with theVdoor and will therefore cause a turning movement of the leverv 10relative to the bowl 6. This turningv movement will cause awinding upyof said yspring in the bowl G with the result that when the door isrcleasedvit will automatically close, and ordinarily with a slam. Toavoid slamming of the door the spindle 11 is governed by suitable meanswithin the bowl 6, which permits rapid turning thereof when the door isbeing opened, but when. the door y is being closed the movement of thelever 10 is restricted to a moderate slow speed.

The foregoing description relative to the Yale reversible door closeris'matter which is old and welll understood by those experienced in theoperation of door closing devices. z

My object being to provide an adjustable stop to `limit the closingmovement of the door, I therefore provide a segmental rack 5 lwhich iscarried by the spindle 11, the same being locked against turningrelative thereto through the Hat sides 26 of the hole 27 these lflatsides fitting corresponding flat sides 28 on the spindle 11. yThesegmental rack .5 is provided with a hub 29 upon which is fitted free toturn the'lever 10 vand latch carrying bracket 4. The segmental rack 5 isalso provided'with lugs 30 and 31, which are adapted to contact withlthe lug 32 form-- ing part of the bowl lid 33. The lug 30 limits theturning lmovement of the segmental rack'5 in the direction indicated bythe varrow '45. The lug 31 limits the turning movement of the segmentalrack 5 in the direction opposite`to:thatindicated by the arrow 45,however this lug 31 is of no use when the door closingy device is.mounted to a door which is hinged as shown in Fig. 2, or specifically aright-hand door. When the door closing device is mounted:` on a lefthanddoor, then the segmental rack 5 including the spindle 11 is turned untilthe lug 31 contacts with the lug 32, and the other elements of the doorclosing device are arranged in the proper and well known order foroperating the left-hand door. Under these conditions the lug 30 is of nouse while the lug 31 limits the turning movement of. the segmental rack5.

To the latch carrying bracket 4 is vpivoted a latch 34 through the pin35, this latch is adapted to engage between the teeth 36 of thesegmental rack, and latch the same against turning movement relative tothe latch carrying bracket 4. A spring 3T normally holds the latch 34 inengagement with the teeth 36. A cord 38 is attached to the latch 34 andcarries a ring 39. It is obvious that by pulling the cord 38 the latch34 may be disengaged with the teeth of the segmental rack 5. The guidepieces 40 form part of the latch carrying bracket 4 and guide themovement of the latch 34.

The lever 10 is provided with a radial groove 41 into which projects alug 42 which forms part of the latch carrying bracket 4. This groove andlug permits a limited amount of movement of the. lever 10 relative tothe latch carrying bracket 4, however this limited movement does notinterfere with the closing action imparted to the door through theoperation of the door closing device. This feature is not new and isusually found on the standard Yale reversible door closer, and itsfunctions are not altered by the in corporation of my adjustable stop.

The operation of this device is as follows z-lllith the latch 34 engagedwith the segmental rack 5 as shown in the drawing, the door will becompletely closed by the action of the door closer, the same. acting inthe usual manner. If it is desired that the closing movement of the doorshould be limited, the proper adjustment is made by pulling on the cord38, thereby releasing the latch 34 from the segmental rack 5, and thenmove the door approximately to the position it is desired that it shouldstop. During this movement of the door the lever 10 and the latchcarrying bracket 4 will turn on the hub 29, while the segmental rack 5and the spindle 11 remains idle. Now by permitting the latch 34 toengage again with the segmental rack 5 the door is prevented fromcompletely closing, because the lever 10 has changed its positionrelative to the segmental rack 5, and through the same being lockedthereto in this changed position the lever 10 is limited in its turningmovement in the ydirection indicated by the arrow 45. There is nothingto interfere with the opening movement ofthe door, for then thesegmental rack 5 and the lever 10 turn together in the directionindicated by arrow 14; but the said spring contained in the bowl 6 willnormally turn the lever 10 and segmenping positions are available as thelatch 34 may be engaged between any of the various teeth 36.

To prevent the bowl cap 33 from turning relative to the bowl G from anystrain caused by the lug 30 contacting with the lug 32, I provide a lug43 which forms part of the bowl v6 and engages between the ears 44 ofthe bowl cap 33.

For changing this device to be used on a left-hand door, it is onlynecessary to release t-he pawl 12 and turn the lever 10 and segmentalrack 5 including t-he spindle 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow14 until the lug 31 contacts with the lug 32, and then engage the pawl12 with the ratchet 7 on the opposite side of the lever. Otherwise thisdevice is mounted in the usual manner.

Having f thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is as follows 1. In an automatic door closing device,the combination of a casing, a rotatable spindle, a lever carried bysaid spindle and arranged to connect with the door, a spring actuatedratchet surrounding said spindle and arranged to turn said lever, alatch carrying bracket fixed to rotate with said spindle, means forfixing said latch carrying bracket to said lever, said fixing meansbeing arranged to permit a slight turning movement of said leverrelative to said bracket, a segmental rack fixed to said spindle, a stoparranged to limit turning movement of said segmental rack and therebylimit the closing movement of said door, and latching means arranged tolock said segmental rack to said lever at various points angularlyaround the axis of said spindle and thereby providing optional stoppingpoints in the closing movement of said door.

2. The combination with a door closing device comprising a rota-tablespindle, speed controlling means for said spindle, a rotatable sleeve,and resilient means arranged to react aga-inst turning movement of saidsleeve; of a leveiI arranged to turn upon said spindle, means forlocking said lever to said sleeve, a segmental rack fixed to rotate withsaid spindle, locking means arranged to connect said lever with saidsegmental rack at optional points angularly around the axis of saidspindle, and astop arranged to limit turning movement of said segmentalrack.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOI-IN J. REINI-IOLD.

